Many individuals enjoy spending time at the beach, whether for sunning, shelling, fishing, reading, or simply relaxing. A typical beachgoer will oftentimes carry a towel, sunscreen, and other accessories in a beach tote and will frequently also carry a folding chair. Numerous options exist for folding chairs however each is disadvantageous in view of the present disclosure.
For relaxing at the beach, an angularly reclined backrest is a popular option, but if a user also desires reclined leg support, presently available beach chair frames disadvantageously eliminate the option for upright seating. That is, upright seating and reclined backrest options are provided together, and reclined backrest and reclined leg support options are provided together, but no configuration offers all three options in one portable chair. Back support provided by presently available beach chairs is disadvantageous because back and leg positioning is not selectively convertible.
Still, some beachgoers prefer a chaise lounge for beach enjoyment in a fully prone position. A short-legged tri-fold style chaise remains popular for lying out prone, and also offers an adjustable backrest and reclined leg support. Unfortunately, such a foldable chaise is unable to serve as a traditional chair, wherein instead, for example, if a user were to desire to sit upright, he or she would necessarily be obligated to straddle the chair, or to sit sideways on the chaise in order to place feet on the ground. Moreover, the short-legged style, as with other short-legged beach chairs, while enjoyed by those who prefer to be close to the sand and/or water, is disadvantageously difficult or almost impossible to exit for many, requiring a user to raise to a standing position from a low center of gravity.
Standard height folding chairs enable a user to avoid such a difficult exit. However, portable chairs offering standard height are generally and disadvantageously limited in configurable positions, such that upright seating is exclusively offered. Even portable chairs that offer adjustable height legs are disadvantageous in view of the present invention by remaining limited in configurable positions. Moreover, known folding chair frame designs are generally not designed to support persons of a larger frame and/or heavier scale.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a need for a portable, foldable chair that configures to a sturdy straight-back chair, a bed, and a recliner, while also providing standard seat height.